Loyalist rioters attack police again

Police came under renewed attack from loyalist petrol bombers in the North early today.

Trouble flared again in north Belfast following several hours of uneasy peace after rioters took to the streets yesterday following searches linked to a paramilitary show of strength.

Petrol bombs, bricks, bottles and other missiles were hurled at officers in the Woodvale area. The Police Service responded with water cannon.

A police spokesman said five more people had been arrested for riotous behaviour, but there were no reports of any injuries.

Two people arrested yesterday – a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old – are due in court in Belfast today charged with riotous assembly. A juvenile detained at the same time was released without charge.

The violence began when up to 100 masked youths, enraged by the police searches, hijacked and set alight a number of vans and lorries.

Fire crews drafted in to put out the flames were forced to withdraw after they too were attacked by the mob.

The violence raged for hours after a major police search operation mounted following a suspected UVF show of strength on Saturday.

A gun and loyalist paramilitary material was seized and four men were arrested on suspicion of serious terrorist offences over the weekend.

Police linked the street violence to the searches and said there appeared to have been “an element of orchestration behind it”.

The UVF, which is locked in a deadly feud with the rival loyalist LVF which has claimed four lives, has been accused of plotting the violence.

After officers were given the green light to fire baton rounds, the trouble stopped. However, masked youths remained on the streets throughout the evening and at around 11pm the trouble resumed and continued for several hours.